The impact of A.I. on online behavior is a hotly debated topic. Some commentators claim that artificial intelligence is dramatically reshaping how people interact with technology. Elsewhere, others suggest that the impact is less dramatic.
SEO marketing expert Darren Dunner weighs in as he examines just some of the numerous behavioral changes wrought by A.I. so far.
A.I. Pertaining to Online Behavior
So, what is A.I. as it pertains to online behavior? In the simplest sense, A.I. or artificial intelligence and the technology behind it centers upon the development of specific software.
This software can perform tasks traditionally requiring human intelligence. Thus far, businesses and other organizations have used A.I. chiefly to automate processes, analyze data, and generate recommendations across e-commerce websites and other platforms. Software companies have also deployed similar technology in various additional manners.
For example, automatic customer service chatbots, including within e-commerce, and facial recognition algorithms on social media and elsewhere. In the first of these instances, automated chatbots represent just one of the growing number of ways that A.I. is changing people's online behavior. There's no doubt, then, about its impact.
But how dramatic is it?
Incremental Rather Than Revolutionary
According to Darren Dunner, it's essential to realize that much of the impact of online-focused A.I. has been incremental rather than strictly revolutionary to date. Take the A.I.-driven chatbots that have become increasingly common in customer service. Despite their increasing prevalence, they have generally served to augment, rather than replace, human customer service agents.
At the same time, A.I.-driven recommendation tools have become a standard part of the online experience, from e-commerce websites to streaming services. That said, neither these nor other pieces of A.I. have fundamentally changed how people interact online on a personal level.
So, while A.I. technology is altering online behavior, it has yet to revolutionize it completely.
A.I. No Longer Constrained by Limitations
That is, perhaps, until now. Until recently, A.I. has had a limited impact on most people's online behavior. That's due to its restricted scope and capabilities. Now, though, A.I. systems are closer than ever to replicating the full range of human behaviors.
The result? The result is that existing limitations will no longer constrain the impact of A.I. systems on people's online activities. Previously, A.I.'s effects on online behavior haven't extended far beyond the content people consume and the technologies they use.
Interactions Between Consumers and Retailers
With advances in the field coming thick and fast, A.I. is set to rapidly change the digital landscape. Most notably, that includes how people interact with one another online. And where one-to-one interactions begin to change, so do interactions between consumers and retailers – a key point for SEO marketing expert Darren Dunner.
The expert suggests that while people have commonly been oblivious to the changes A.I. has shaped within their online behavior in the past, they're becoming increasingly aware today. For example, many are only now beginning to recognize the presence of A.I.-driven tools and their impact on their online experiences.
New Marketing Perspectives
For the most part, A.I.-led changes in people's online experiences have been subtle. But as A.I. technology advances, its impact on online behavior across the board is set to become more and more pronounced. In the coming years, A.I. technology will touch almost every aspect of people's lives lived on the web.
As a result, from a marketing perspective, capitalizing on artificial intelligence is essential. That's true for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Accordingly, and with more widespread capitalization, the potential growth trajectory for A.I. regarding changing people's online behavior is likely limitless. Read more.
